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talkpoliticsStephen Walt has a typically perspicacious post up on his blog on "How to Defend the Indefensible"
http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/06/02/defending_the_indefensible_a_how_to_guide
While the connections with Israel's latest bloodletting should be obvious enough, as Walt points out, these statements could apply to just about any government, including our own. Nevertheless, it is amusing to note how many of these excuses are paraded out whenever the U.S. or Israel slaughters civilians or engages in some other foolish, costly, and fatal blunder. I've bolded some of the excuses that are particularly favored among apologists, but they're all great.
21 handy talking-points when you need to apply the white-wash:
1. We didn't do it! (Denials usually don't work, but it's worth a try).
2. We know you think we did it but we aren't admitting anything.
3. Actually, maybe we did do something but not what we are accused of doing.
4. Ok, we did it but it wasn't that bad ("waterboarding isn't really torture, you know").
5. Well, maybe it was pretty bad but it was justified or necessary. (We only torture terrorists, or suspected terrorists, or people who might know a terrorist...")
6. What we did was really quite restrained, when you consider how powerful we really are. I mean, we could have done something even worse.
7. Besides, what we did was technically legal under some interpretations of international law (or at least as our lawyers interpret the law as it applies to us.)
8. Don't forget: the other side is much worse. In fact, they're evil. Really.
9. Plus, they started it.
10. And remember: We are the good guys. We are not morally equivalent to the bad guys no matter what we did. Only morally obtuse, misguided critics could fail to see this fundamental distinction between Them and Us.
11. The results may have been imperfect, but our intentions were noble. (Invading Iraq may have resulted in tens of thousands of dead and wounded and millions of refugees, but we meant well.)
12. We have to do things like this to maintain our credibility. You don't want to encourage those bad guys, do you?
13. Especially because the only language the other side understands is force.
14. In fact, it was imperative to teach them a lesson. For the Nth time.
15. If we hadn't done this to them they would undoubtedly have done something even worse to us. Well, maybe not. But who could take that chance?
16. In fact, no responsible government could have acted otherwise in the face of such provocation.
17. Plus, we had no choice. What we did may have been awful, but all other policy options had failed and/or nothing else would have worked.
18. It's a tough world out there and Serious People understand that sometimes you have to do these things. Only ignorant idealists, terrorist sympathizers, craven appeasers and/or treasonous liberals would question our actions.
19. In fact, whatever we did will be worth it eventually, and someday the rest of the world will thank us.
20. We are the victims of a double-standard. Other states do the same things (or worse) and nobody complains about them. What we did was therefore permissible.
21. And if you keep criticizing us, we'll get really upset and then we might do something really crazy. You don't want that, do you?
http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/06/02/defending_the_indefensible_a_how_to_guide
While the connections with Israel's latest bloodletting should be obvious enough, as Walt points out, these statements could apply to just about any government, including our own. Nevertheless, it is amusing to note how many of these excuses are paraded out whenever the U.S. or Israel slaughters civilians or engages in some other foolish, costly, and fatal blunder. I've bolded some of the excuses that are particularly favored among apologists, but they're all great.
21 handy talking-points when you need to apply the white-wash:
1. We didn't do it! (Denials usually don't work, but it's worth a try).
2. We know you think we did it but we aren't admitting anything.
3. Actually, maybe we did do something but not what we are accused of doing.
4. Ok, we did it but it wasn't that bad ("waterboarding isn't really torture, you know").
5. Well, maybe it was pretty bad but it was justified or necessary. (We only torture terrorists, or suspected terrorists, or people who might know a terrorist...")
6. What we did was really quite restrained, when you consider how powerful we really are. I mean, we could have done something even worse.
7. Besides, what we did was technically legal under some interpretations of international law (or at least as our lawyers interpret the law as it applies to us.)
8. Don't forget: the other side is much worse. In fact, they're evil. Really.
9. Plus, they started it.
10. And remember: We are the good guys. We are not morally equivalent to the bad guys no matter what we did. Only morally obtuse, misguided critics could fail to see this fundamental distinction between Them and Us.
11. The results may have been imperfect, but our intentions were noble. (Invading Iraq may have resulted in tens of thousands of dead and wounded and millions of refugees, but we meant well.)
12. We have to do things like this to maintain our credibility. You don't want to encourage those bad guys, do you?
13. Especially because the only language the other side understands is force.
14. In fact, it was imperative to teach them a lesson. For the Nth time.
15. If we hadn't done this to them they would undoubtedly have done something even worse to us. Well, maybe not. But who could take that chance?
16. In fact, no responsible government could have acted otherwise in the face of such provocation.
17. Plus, we had no choice. What we did may have been awful, but all other policy options had failed and/or nothing else would have worked.
18. It's a tough world out there and Serious People understand that sometimes you have to do these things. Only ignorant idealists, terrorist sympathizers, craven appeasers and/or treasonous liberals would question our actions.
19. In fact, whatever we did will be worth it eventually, and someday the rest of the world will thank us.
20. We are the victims of a double-standard. Other states do the same things (or worse) and nobody complains about them. What we did was therefore permissible.
21. And if you keep criticizing us, we'll get really upset and then we might do something really crazy. You don't want that, do you?
(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 12:54 (UTC)23. I bent my wookie.
24. I found a moonrock in my nose!
25. That's where I saw the Leprchaun. He tells me to burn things!
(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 13:18 (UTC)Burn the house down. BURN THEM ALL.
Yah had tah go an' mention...
Date: 9/6/10 21:45 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 13:32 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 14:07 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 14:41 (UTC)number 14 for example, if they would have learned the lesson the first or 2nd time, it wouldn't have to be repeated. I much preferred my child learning not to run out in the street by a slap on the wrist than to get run over. (I hope that didn't violate the "for the children" rule)
(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 14:56 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 15:13 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 15:59 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9/6/10 23:06 (UTC)but on a brighter note, only a few more days until we fight our nationalistic battles out on the football pitch.
loling @ "bloodletting"
Date: 10/6/10 00:00 (UTC)Re: loling @ "bloodletting"
Date: 10/6/10 07:10 (UTC)